The Farmers' Market Mishap

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ; Brunstetter, Jean;

  “That is a nice one.” She touched the handle. “Your daed liked to collect coins, as you well know. He had socks with money in them inside his dresser, and little boxes containing collector coins. Of course, he ordered more the older he got. If a coin caught his eye, he’d try to get it.” Her eyes misted.

  Ben’s mom became sentimental when it came to his dad. For that matter, so did Ben. Bet Dad would have enjoyed being here today, and he would’ve gotten Mom to wander around with him to check out all the wares. Ben winced. They were so close. What a shame he’s no longer with us. It seemed to be getting a little easier for himself, but Ben could only imagine how difficult it had been for Mom to lose her spouse.

  Ben left the knife with his mother and wandered up and down a few more aisles, checking out everything from books, household tools, straw hats, to lots of collectable things. Nothing caught his interest, until he spotted a produce stand where a young Amish woman stood placing fruits and vegetables in baskets. Thinking it might be good to check out the competition, he headed that way.

  “Since we’re all set up, would you mind if Joseph and I walked around for a bit?” Thelma leaned close to Elma. “If things get busy at the stand later on, this may be our only chance to look at some of the other tables and booths.”

  “Go right ahead. If people start coming in before you get back, I’m sure I can manage.” Elma gestured to the basket closest to her. “Before you leave, do you think this one looks okay, or should I add a few more pieces of fruit?”

  “Looks good enough to eat.” Joseph chuckled. “Not the basket—just what’s inside.”

  Elma smiled. “You two go on, now, and enjoy yourselves.”

  “Okay. We shouldn’t be gone too long.” Thelma waved and headed off with Joseph in the direction of the booths selling food.

  Elma snickered. No doubt her sister had a craving for something. Thelma had confided in Elma on the drive here this morning that two nights ago she’d gotten up in the wee hours to eat a couple of brownies. Thelma needed to eat something healthier than chocolate, especially late at night. She might have ended up with heartburn, and with her being pregnant, it would be even more miserable. Elma would look through her natural desserts cookbook for a better treat to bake for her twin.

  Elma took her notepad from the tote she’d brought along and jotted down a reminder. Since Thelma craves sweets, my recipes will fill the void yet won’t be bad for her. My sister has a habit of eating whatever she wants, but not always what is good for her.

  I’ll probably never know what it’s like to have pregnancy cravings, Elma mused. But if I ever do, I hope it’s not for sugary treats. I’ll be sure to eat well, avoiding temptations, and give my unborn child the best start I possibly can.

  Elma had always been the more health conscious of the twins, although she did sometimes splurge—especially when it came to certain desserts. She’d walk a mile through the pouring rain for a piece of homemade cherry pie.

  Elma smiled when a few children ran past, giggling while they gave chase to each other. She noticed some other kids sat with parents behind tables, watching with an I-want-to-play-too look in their eyes.

  Oh, to be young again. Elma heaved a sigh, wishing there was a way to slow life down a bit. It seemed like yesterday she and Thelma were eager children.

  Elma’s thoughts drifted in another direction as she reflected on how things had been going at home, as well as inside the store. While Lizzie was not the best helper she’d ever had, having her working in the store was better than no help at all during the times Thelma couldn’t be there. Lizzie kept her company, and with busy times in the store, the workdays flew by. Besides, Lizzie needed a job, and Elma didn’t have the heart to let her go. It made her feel good to help the woman out, even though Elma worked like two people at times, and at lightning speed to keep up with everything.

  With the exception of Tiger being a pest much of the time, things were going okay at the house. Of course, Elma still spent many hours by herself and struggled with loneliness, but it was a comfort to have her twin sister living across the street. Looking over there and seeing activity made being alone a little more tolerable. It was nice to know she could pop over from time to time if the loneliness became too unbearable.

  “Looks like you have some nice produce here.”

  Elma jerked at the sound of a deep voice. When she looked up, a pair of brilliant blue eyes stared at her. It was difficult not to gaze back at them.

  “Sorry if I startled you.” The Amish man’s deep-dimpled smile seemed sincere.

  “It’s okay. I was deep in thought when you stepped up to my table.” Elma couldn’t help but notice that he wasn’t sporting a beard.

  “I was admiring your produce and the way it’s displayed.” Leaning forward, he reached out to pick up an apple, but in the process, he bumped the table. The next thing Elma saw was a blur of red fruit leaving as the basket toppled over and everything spilled out. Some of the produce rolled off and under the table.

  “Sorry about that.” A blotch of red erupted on the man’s face as he bent down and crawled under the table to retrieve the items from the upset basket. At the same time, Elma went under from her side of the table. They both reached for an apple, and their hands touched.

  Elma jerked her head, bumping it on the underside of the table. “Ouch!”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Jah, I’m fine.” Elma picked up the apple, backed out, and clambered to her feet just as her twin sister stepped up to the table.

  Pursing her lips, Thelma glanced at Elma, then at the man who had been under the table but now stood facing them. Arms folded, she tilted her head, looking back at Elma. “What’s going on here, Sister?”

  CHAPTER 11

  Elma’s hand trembled as she gathered up the rest of the apples and placed them on the table. Between her sister’s disapproving look and the Amish man’s curious stare, she couldn’t seem to find her voice and could hardly look her twin in the face.

  Thelma nudged Elma’s arm. “What’s going on? How come the produce is in such disarray?”

  Before Elma could respond, the man raised his hand and spoke. “It’s my fault. I reached out for a piece of fruit and knocked the basket over.” He picked up a few more items and placed them in the basket.

  Joseph joined them at the table, squinting at the Amish man. “You look familiar to me. Have we met before?”

  “I’m not sure. My name is Benjamin Wagler, and I live in Grabill.” He swiped a hand across his forehead, pushing a chunk of his thick brown hair under the brim of his straw hat. “Most folks just call me Ben.”

  Joseph pulled his fingers through the ends of his beard; then a slow smile spread across his face. “I know where I’ve met you. A few years ago I was near Grabill, looking at some used harness-making equipment. The fellow who owned the farm was Abe Miller, and you were there, shoeing his horses.”

  Ben nodded. “That’s right; I shoe horses for a living, and Abe’s still one of my steady customers.”

  “I’m Joseph Beechy. This is my wife, Thelma, and her twin sister, Elma Hochstetler.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” the twins said in unison while Ben shook Joseph’s hand.

  Ben shifted his gaze from Thelma to Elma. “You two certainly look alike. In fact, if it weren’t for…” His face colored as he glanced at Thelma’s baby bump then looked quickly away.

  “People have been getting us mixed up since we were bopplin.” Thelma chuckled. “Of course now, and for a while yet, it’ll be easier to tell us apart.”

  Ben gave a brief nod. “Is this your produce stand, Elma? Or are you running it with a husband or some other family member?”

  Elma’s cheeks burned hot. Was Ben only curious, or could his question have been asked to find out if she was married?

  She cleared her throat, hoping she could speak without stumbling over the words. With the exception of Delbert, it had been some time since she’d met an Amish man as attractive
as Ben.

  “Oh, my sister’s not married,” Thelma blurted before Elma could respond.

  The heat Elma felt on her face radiated to her neck, chest, and arms. She tried to gather her thoughts before saying something foolish. “Umm…most of the produce on the table is mine, but some of the vegetables and fruit are from Thelma’s garden.”

  “My mamm has a table, too. She’s selling some flowers in addition to produce from our yard.” Ben gestured toward the area near the front entrance of the farmers’ market.

  “There seems to be lots of folks selling fresh produce today.” Joseph bent down and picked up several radishes that had fallen on the ground during the mishap.

  “Do you live here in Shipshewana?” Ben looked at Elma.

  She shook her head. “We live in Topeka, and my sister and I run a general store.”

  “Well, mostly you run the store these days,” Thelma put in. “I only work a few hours, a couple days a week anymore.”

  “It must be difficult to run the store by yourself when your sister’s not working.” Ben kept his focus on Elma.

  “Things can get hectic,” she admitted, “but I have a woman who helps out when Thelma’s not there.”

  “When Joe and I were walking around, we stopped at one of the stands selling homemade pies and flavored coffees.” Thelma placed her hand on Elma’s arm. “I think I spotted cherry pie there. I know it’s one of your favorites.” She gave her sister a playful wink. “Why don’t you go over and sample some?”

  “Oh, I can’t. The market will be open for business soon, and I wouldn’t want to miss any prospective customers.”

  “Don’t worry about that.” Joseph put a few more pieces of fruit back on the table. “Thelma and I will watch the table. Besides, my fraa could use some shade and rest on one of these stools.” He motioned for his wife to take a seat.

  Shifting her weight, Elma bit her lip. “I suppose I could go check it out, but I won’t be gone long.”

  “Would you mind if I tag along?” Ben asked. “I could use a cup of coffee, and a slice of pie sounds good, too.”

  “Okay, that’s fine with me.” What else could she say? It surprised Elma when he said he wanted to go along, and it would be rude to say she preferred to go alone. Besides, she might enjoy his company.

  Ben didn’t normally feel a connection to a woman he’d only just met, but after visiting with Elma a short time, he felt as if he’d known her awhile. They’d been sitting on a bench, drinking coffee and eating pie for half an hour or so, and he wished it could be longer. Elma was not only intelligent and interesting to talk to, but her pleasant smile captivated him.

  “Have you ever visited Grabill?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Between the store and keeping things going at my house, I don’t have a lot of free time to explore other towns in the area.”

  “It’s a small community, but it’s where I grew up, so I feel comfortable there.” Ben drank the last of his coffee. “How about you? Have you lived in Topeka all your life?”

  “No, Thelma and I were raised in Sullivan, Illinois.” She blotted her nicely shaped lips with a napkin.

  “So how’d you end up here?”

  Ben listened intently as Elma explained how she and her twin sister had inherited their grandparents’ home, as well as their store. “I assume Thelma wasn’t married to Joseph back then?”

  “No. She met him not long after we moved here.”

  Ben was tempted to ask if Elma was being courted by anyone but thought better of it. She might think he was too forward. Since they’d both finished their pie and had places they needed to go, he rose to his feet and tossed his paper plate and cup into the nearest trash can. When Elma stood, he politely threw hers away, too. “Sometime, when I’m up this way again, maybe I’ll stop by your store and say hello.”

  She smiled. “That would be nice. The name of our store is E&T’s General Store, and it’s on Meadowbrook Lane.”

  “Good to know.” He shuffled his feet a few times, kicking up dust. “It’s been nice meeting you, Elma.”

  She gave a brief nod. “I enjoyed meeting you, too.”

  As they parted ways, Ben paused briefly and glanced over his shoulder. Now I need to find some excuse to visit Elma’s store. Watching Elma walk away, he gave her a smile when she briefly looked back in his direction. Even from where he stood, Ben could see Elma’s cheeks had turned pink.

  When Ben approached his mother’s table, he was surprised to see several people clustered around. Mom’s face would scrunch up; then, breathing deeply, she’d release it, as though trying to regain her calm. He recognized that look as one of frustration.

  Ben wasted no time in stepping behind the table and helping to wait on customers. From the looks of things, Mom had already sold most of her flowers, and the garden produce seemed to be going fast, too.

  When the customers moved on, Mom turned to Ben with a frown. “Where have you been all this time? I thought you were only going to look around and wouldn’t be gone long.”

  “Sorry, Mom. Guess the time got away from me.” Ben explained the circumstances of how he’d met Elma Hochstetler and gone with her to have coffee and pie.

  Mom’s eyebrows squished together. “Hmm…That name sounds familiar. Did she say where she’s from?”

  He nodded. “She and her twin sister run a general store in Topeka, and…”

  Mom snapped her fingers. “Now I remember. When I spent the day with my friend Eileen a few weeks ago, we visited a store run by a woman named Elma. I wonder if it could be the same person.”

  “I bet it is. I mean, how many stores could there be in Topeka run by a woman named Elma?” Ben scratched at a spot under his hat.

  “Good point.” Mom got out her handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. “So how come you went off to have pie and coffee with her when you knew I was here at the table by myself?”

  “Because I wanted pie and coffee, and since she was heading that way I figured I may as well tag along. It gave us a chance to get acquainted.” Ben leaned against the table. “Besides, I didn’t realize you had a bunch of customers. I wasn’t even sure the market had officially opened.” He glanced at his mother’s flowers, toying with the idea of taking a potted plant over to Elma. He could say it was an apology for spilling her basket of produce.

  Naw, I’d better not. He mentally shook his head. Mom might ask me about it and give me a hard time.

  Ben’s mother tipped her head from one side to the other, as though weighing the situation. “Are you sure that was all there was to it?” “What do you mean?”

  “Hearing the way you were talking about her, plus your wide-eyed expression at the mention of her name, makes me think you might be smitten with the young woman.” Mom took a bag of raisins from her purse and ate a few.

  “Why would you think that, Mom? I only met Elma today.” Am I really that transparent? Does Mom have any idea the strange feeling I had when I first looked in Elma’s eyes?

  Dorothy sat for a time, but she needed to get up and take a walk. “Ben, would you mind watching our booth while I get some lemonade?”

  “No problem, Mom. You go ahead and take a break.”

  “Do you need anything while I’m out?” She picked up her purse.

  “I’m fine for now. The pie and coffee I had earlier is holding me.” Ben rubbed his stomach and grinned.

  “Okay, I’ll be back soon.” Dorothy started walking, looking further down the line of vendors. The place was full of people milling around. She knew right where the food places were located, so she headed in that direction. All she really had to do was follow her nose. Besides the drink Dorothy intended to buy for herself, she smelled kettle corn being made nearby, and it called to her. About the time she finished paying for a glass of lemonade, her friend Eileen tapped her shoulder.

  Dorothy smiled. “Well, hello. I was hoping to see you here.”

  “I’m glad I made it today. As you can see,
I’ve been shopping.” Eileen held up a large paper bag. “How’s it going at your booth so far?”

  “I’ve sold a lot of my plants, and with Ben’s help, we’ve kept up a nice pace.”

  “Good to hear. I’ve been slowly making my way around to your booth but hadn’t made it that far yet.” Eileen pointed across the way. “Why don’t we take a seat over there at that table?”

  “All right. It’ll be nice to sit and chat.” Dorothy stopped first to buy a bag of kettle corn; then they both found seats.

  As they sat and talked, Dorothy told Eileen about Ben leaving their booth earlier to look around. “He was gone awhile, and it got real busy for me there by myself. I felt frustrated trying to juggle everything alone.”

  “You poor thing. I bet it was nerve wracking.”

  “Jah.” Dorothy held the bag of kettle corn out to her friend. “Would you like some?”

  “Danki.” Eileen helped herself.

  “Anyway, when Ben came back to our booth, he mentioned that he’d been off having pie and coffee with an Amish woman named Elma Hochstetler from Topeka.”

  Eileen’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, jah, you and I were in her store a couple weeks ago. She’s one of the owners of E&T’s General Store.”

  Dorothy leaned closer, lowering her voice. “I think Ben might be smitten with this young lady.”

  “Really? What makes you believe so?”

  “When he talked about her, he seemed to brighten up.” Dorothy sipped on her drink. “Of course, he only met her today, so I probably shouldn’t read much into it.”

  “I agree. A lot of young people today seem to be moving slower than we did at that age—not wanting to hurry into marriage and start a family.”

  Dorothy nodded. I’m fine with that. Ben does need to find a wife, though. But not if she lives a good distance from Grabill. My world would be so different if he were to move far from home. I don’t think I could deal with it.

  CHAPTER 12

  Topeka